1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical and surgical devices, and more specifically to catheter assemblies.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Catheter assemblies are generally inserted through body conduits to provide access to body cavities so as to enable medical procedures to be performed less invasively. In certain procedures, such as surgery or drainage, it is necessary for the catheter to be temporarily anchored in the body cavity to allow the desired procedure to be completed.
Different mechanisms have been provided for the purpose of deploying a catheter within a body cavity in order to prevent withdrawal during a procedure. One example includes an inflatable balloon disposed on the tip of a catheter. Once the tip is within the body cavity, the balloon is inflated through an inflation lumen running through the shaft of the catheter. The presence of the inflation lumen, however, increases the necessary diameter of the shaft which must also accommodate a second lumen intended for the desired procedure, such as a drainage lumen.
A larger catheter diameter, however, increases discomfort. While decreasing the diameter of the inflation lumen may contribute to a slightly smaller overall diameter of a catheter, an inflation lumen with a small diameter is more likely to develop kinks in the passageway, obstructing the flow of fluid necessary to inflate and deflate the balloon.
Conventional balloons are not liquid permeable. In drainage procedures, therefore, ports must be provided in the shaft at a location outside of the balloon. In typical catheters where ports are disposed on the shaft proximate to the balloon, a greater length of the catheter must be inserted into the body cavity in order to provide fluid communication between the ports and the liquid within the cavity. This greater “stack profile: increases discomfort. Furthermore, particular body cavities can only accommodate a certain length of catheter. Therefore, limited room is available for the placement of ports on the shaft, which leads to a small overall area for drainage. This smaller area contributes to excessive residual liquid remaining in the body cavity which may lead to infections and other complications.
Conventional catheters, including balloon catheters, must be manually deployed. Thus, an operator must gauge when the tip portion of the catheter, including the balloon, is sufficiently within the target body cavity in order to initiate inflation. Predilation, resulting in severe trauma to the patient, can occur if the deploying device, such as a balloon, is prematurely expanded in the narrow body conduit connected to the cavity.
The removal of conventional catheters is also problematic because manual manipulation is required. A typical anchor, such as a balloon, deployed in the body conduit is configured in its expanded, high-profile state. Before the catheter may be withdrawn, the conventional anchor must be manually returned to its low-profile state so that it may re-enter the narrow body conduit. Various mechanisms are provided in the prior art for manually converting the anchor from its high-profile state to its low-profile state. One existing method includes inserting a stylet through the catheter to push the distal tip out in order to form the low-profile state. The necessity for manual manipulation in conventional assemblies increases time, effort, expense and inconvenience in withdrawing a catheter.